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Tagovailoa already had a short stint with the Seahawks but was let go after a few days. Now, the former Maryland Terp will have a chance to earn a spot with the Cardinals. The younger brother of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Tagovailoa enters the league with a fraction of the NFL pedigree as Tua. Like Tua, Taulia also spent time at Alabama but transferred to Maryland ahead of the 2020 season, where he went on to start 37 games for the Terps from 2021 through 2023. An undersized prospect (5’11/208) who is prone to turnovers, Tagovailoa didn’t earn an invite to the combine and may not be long for the NFL, but may get a few more shots to stick on a roster in the coming months.

Rogers (6'3/330) was a four-star DT and the top player from Michigan in the 2020 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. His recruiting rating was largely based on his early physical maturation, but he never quite lived up to the billing at Kentucky, before finding success on a more scheme-friendly Auburn defense. Rogers is a stout one tech who is adept at taking up blockers, especially against the run. Whether it’s a duo or zone concept, he is able to occupy multiple gaps by either threatening to split blockers or bouncing between the two laterally. Rogers struggles to disengage with blockers, but makes up for it by being able to anchor effectively. An average get-off and pitiful 1.18 RAS underlie his poor pursuit, though not for lack of effort. With a frame that has already reached peak development, it is not likely Rogers has any upside rushing the passer. His best role at the next level is probably on early downs to eat up blockers for linebackers on the second wave of defensive linemen.

Hailing from South East Missouri State, Flournoy (6’1/202) first popped on the national map when he impressed at the Senior Bowl. The former JUCO prospect transferred to South East Missouri State for the 2022 season and immediately went for 62-1016-7 his first year on campus. He was limited to just nine games in 2023 and finished the year with a line of 59-825-7 and averaged 15.2 YPR for his career. In Dallas, the rookie will have a tough time cracking the team’s wide receiver rotation barring a string of wideout injuries.

A 2021 enrollee, Bullard (5’10/198) took over a starting slot role in 2022, where he logged 510 of his 624 snaps and recorded 46 tackles, 7.0 TFL and 3.5 sacks while earning an 80th percentile PFF defensive grade. Bullard saved his best for the CFP National Title game with a two interception performance that earned him the game’s Defensive MVP Award. Bullard built on his MVP showing by having the best season of his career, holding opponents to a 34.0 NFL passer rating while shifting to the back line and playing 362 of his 596 snaps at free safety. His 88.9 PFF cover grade ranked fifth nationally, as Bullard allowed a microscopic .27 yards per coverage snap with a 32% forced incompletion rate. On the tackling front, Bullard sports a very respectable 9.2% missed tackle rate while grading in the 78th percentile. He’s on the short side, but his Combine weight of 198 pounds and dense frame help him bring the pain over the middle when called upon. While his lack of length and poor 33” vertical (34th%) suppresses his overall athletic profile, there’s nothing wrong with an 8.25 Relative Athletic Score. Bullard has the smarts to diagnose route concepts and not get baited, while also having the heft to make his presence felt across the middle. His stubby proportions present challenges with his sideline-to-sideline and deep range, but he’s a plus defender with the action coming at him. Bullard is a self-made, undersized grinder who is best suited in a scheme that can utilize his slot and free safety versatility.

Melton (5’110/187) is a three-time, fourth-team All-Big Ten DB that started 40-of-43 career games with the Scarlet Knights. Melton’s 4.39s 40-yard dash speed allows him to give a large cushion pre-snap in order to bait the quarterback, who sometimes underestimates his cheetah-like closing speed. A certified box checker, he can play both man and zone coverage extremely well when called upon, recording a QBR of 65.7 while allowing 24 completions on 44 targets this year. His elite ball skills are evident in the 16 pass break ups and five interceptions he draped on Big Ten opponents over the past two seasons. The four-year starter has impeccable timing that keeps him in phase even if he pursues a bad angle, as is shown in his superb 9.57 Relative Athletic Score. Melton could improve on his route recognition/backpedal, as he is occasionally susceptible to double moves. An elite special teams player who blocked multiple punts throughout his collegiate career, as well as fielding a few returns. Melton is a top-flight Big Ten corner who has the talent to fill a rotational slot/boundary role in the NFL.

Per Garafolo, Franklin has also visited the Browns, Jets, Panthers, and Patriots. Franklin posted elite numbers in his final season at Oregon, totaling 1,383 yards and 14 touches on 81 grabs. He led the Ducks in yards and touchdowns while playing alongside multiple NFL-caliber receivers. His stock took a tumble at the combine when he weighed in at 176 pounds and ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash. For a player billed as a downfield burner, his straight-line speed was underwhelming. Though he doesn’t project to be a target dominator in the NFL, the Bills are dangerously thin at receiver and Franklin would step into a prominent role in the offense out of the gates. Buffalo is one of the premier fantasy landing spots for rookie receivers this year.

McConkey measured 6' 0" and 186 pounds, drawing comparison to Garrett Wilson almost unanimously based on his testing metrics at the combine. He and Adonai Mitchell appear to have tested their way into the end of the first round discussion considering how recent drafts have unfolded, particularly considering the needs of teams like the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs.

Wright measured 5' 10" and 210 pounds, which, when added to his elite 11' 2" broad jump, left him with a RAS score of 9.75. That athleticism score ranks 44th of 1,745 running backs tested since 1987 and his broad jump was the second longest ever recorded. He has undoubtedly made a case to be one of the first two running backs selected in the coming draft, with his ultimate landing spot likely dependent on how trades shake out on day one.

Mitchell measured at 6' 2" and weighed in at 205 pounds, placing him in elite company with the blistering 40-yard dash time. In fact, only he and DK Metcalf ran a sub-4.35 40-yard dash since the 2015 combine at that height and weight. Mitchell does not bring the same flash on tape as fellow draft eligible players such as Marvin Harrison, Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze, but the elite testing on Saturday had to bolster his draft capital as the 2024 NFL Draft draws closer.

The result is far from what the 5' 7", 205-pound former Michigan running back was hoping for. The size and speed metrics bring his closest comp to Devonta Freeman, the latter of whom has managed to carve out a meaningful role at the NFL level despite below average size and speed. Corum remains in the discussion to be the first running back off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft.